CRB Ethical Impact: Marine Conservation Volunteering in Carriacou

I'd just completed a degree in Marine Ecology and was thinking about what to do next. I saw this program advertised and decided to come down to Carriacou for a month before thinking about applying for work to get some headspace after exams. It was without doubt the best thing to have done.

Carriacou is one of those really magical, unspoilt gems of an island. Its warm, friendly, and the locals really know how to party too. I always felt very safe, and the group of volunteer on the program I was on all commented on the same thing. We had a blast!

The program was intense too! We were diving practically every day, 5 or 6 days a week and I felt like we were really making a difference. The work we were doing on the coral nursery and out planting elkhorn corals was really interesting. Of course lionfish hunting was also pretty cool too. I feel I learned so much about the challenges faced relating to the implementation of these types of projects which I never covered in my studies, and certainly never would have thought about. Particularly social and cultural differences in attitudes and approaches. In my month here I feel I learned more than in a whole semester back home.

The accommodations were the only downside to the whole trip. The staff was fantastic, and as a DiveMaster intern, I learned much more than if I had tried to do it locally. Gary was very hands-on in my training and made me fill like I could do it through the whole process.
The staff made sure that we were taken care of while on the boat and in the water, but this was not a vacation. We worked six days a week, and it was great. I would recommend them to anyone that was looking at doing work on the reef.

There were so many things to see, swarms of fish, tons of coral varieties, sponges, eels, turtles and even a few nudibranchs. Oh and you forget you are supposed to be identifying various predators.
Many staff members had hawkeyes to point out very well hidden or camouflaged shrimp, eels and the rare Frogfish.
Great teaching on land to prep for coral, fish id, and substrates. Patient with my questions too.
Fun to find micro frag coral and prep it for the coral nursery replanting.

They demonstrate, you do, and we fasten them to the tables!

Very knowledgeable staff!

So feel free to become a reef buddie too, you will not regret it.

The work I got to do with Caribbean Reef Buddy, volunteering on the coral reef and helping to identify coral species was truly special. The diving instructors at Deefer Diving were incredibly knowledgeable and supportive throughout all of the training and they provided a lot of one-on-one instruction, even in a group setting. In my spare time, I also hiked on the island which was amazing and everyone I met was very welcoming. I really benefited from the experience and I'd recommend the program to people of any age with an interest in adventure.

This is my fourth year bringing college students down for dive training. This year, we also included a project week wherein students applied all of their new skills in a reef monitoring and coral out-planting research. Staff here have always been very accommodating of various skill levels and interests of participants and provide flexibility in our programming. We are super excited to partner with them on this new research project. Additionally, their staff have an excellent understanding of the social, economic, and environmental interplay in coral reef management, educational outreach, and enhancement projects.
In addition to diving and project work, staff organize weekly social events and can also provide guidance on additional recreational activities including hikes, snorkeling, kayaking, and more. Five Stars!

My experience was great! Though at the beginning I was a bit hesitant to get in the water and do the training activities once I was doing them it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The staff here are really supportive and are willing to accommodate for any needs people had. They are willing to work at your own pace while still pushing you to do your best. After all the training was complete I felt more comfortable diving and it made the experience more enjoyable. The dive sites are really cool as well. There are many different locations not too far away from the shop. I would recommend this dive shop to people, it was a great experience and I wish to come back.

The team at Deefer Diving made learning how scuba dive fun and exciting. As a new comer, having kind, knowledgeable and confident instructors made the process easy. They answer all questions with enthusiasm. Their goal is to help people reach theirs. Not only was diving a fantastic experience, but the location of Carriacou was perfect. The work being done with the reefs in the area was extremely interesting to those have a knack for marine sciences.
If you have ever wanted to scuba dive, this is a great team to start with.

The staff at Deefer Diving are absolutely phenominal. They are patient, understanding, incredibly safe, knowledgable, and they're so much fun. We had a fairly large group, and they were able to accommodate eveybody's specialized needs and skill levels. They gave great recommendations for adventures to explore outside of diving as well. This was truly the experience of a lifetime, and I could not recommend them enough! Thank you to all of the staff at Deefer Diving for giving your 110% every single day. Your hard work and dedication is seen and appreciated.